Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

How psychological capital is related to academic performance, burnout, and boredom? The mediating role of study engagement

  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Researchers are increasingly interested in how personal characteristics are related to academic performance and whether study engagement has an impact on different experiences in student life. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study examines the relationship between psychological capital (PsyCap) and engagement, and, further, the relationship between engagement and performance, boredom, and burnout among university students. Using data gathered from 420 university students (242 responses from India and 178 from Romania), partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) methods showed that study engagement partially mediates the relation between PsyCap and academic performance, and also between PsyCap and burnout or boredom. The present study advances our knowledge about PsyCap and engagement as possible antecedents of university students’ performance, burnout, and boredom, across both samples. Results suggest that developing interventions that strengthen students’ resources by increasing their hope, resilience, self-efficacy, and optimism could foster their study engagement and academic performance and protect them from burnout and boredom.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alarcon, G. M., Edwards, J. M., & Menke, L. E. (2011). Student burnout and engagement: A test of the conservation of resources theory. The Journal of Psychology, 145, 211–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.2011.555432.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Avey, J. B., Reichard, R. J., Luthans, F., & Mhatre, K. H. (2011). Meta-analysis of the impact of positive psychological capital on employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 22, 127–152. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.20070.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, A. B., Vergel, A. I. S., & Kuntze, J. (2015). Student engagement and performance: A weekly diary study on the role of openness. Motivation and Emotion, 39, 49–62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-014-9422-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, J.-M., Klein, K., & Wetzels, M. (2012). Hierarchical latent variable models in PLS-SEM: Guidelines for using reflective-formative type models. Long Range Planning, 45, 359–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2012.10.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bigna, J. J. R., Fonkoua, L., Tchatchou, M. F. F., Dongmo, C. N., Soh, D. M., Um, J. L. L. N., et al. (2014). Association of academic performance of premedical students to satisfaction and engagement in a short training program: A cross-sectional study presenting gender differences. BMC Research Notes, 7, 105–125. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-7-105.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Demerouti, E., & Bakker, A. B. (2006). Employee well-being and job performance: Where we stand and where we should go. In J. Houdmont & S. McIntyre (Eds.), Occupational Health Psychology: European perspectives on research, education, and practice (Vol. 1, pp. 83–111). Maia: ISMAI Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74, 59–109. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56, 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.56.3.218.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2016). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). USA: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hair, J. F., Hollingsworth, C. L., Randolph, A. B., & Chong, A. Y. L. (2017). An updated and expanded assessment of PLS-SEM in information systems research. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 117, 442–458. https://doi.org/10.1108/imds-04-2016-0130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hakanen, J. J., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2012). Do burnout and work engagement predict depressive symptoms and life satisfaction? A three-wave seven-year prospective study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 141, 415–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.02.043.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hakanen, J. J., Bakker, A. B., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2006). Burnout and work engagement among teachers. Journal of School Psychology, 43, 495–513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2005.11.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hakanen, J. J., Schaufeli, W. B., & Ahola, K. (2008). The job demands-resources model: A three-year cross-lagged study of burnout, depression, commitment, and work engagement. Work & Stress, 22, 224–241. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678370802379432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hakanen, J. J., Peeters, M. C. W., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2018). Different types of employee well-being across time and their relationships with job crafting. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 23, 289–301. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000081.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Halbesleben, J. R. B., Neveu, J.-P., Paustian-Underdahl, S. C., & Westman, M. (2014). Getting to the “COR”: Understanding the role of resources in conservation of resources theory. Journal of Management, 40(5), 1334–1364. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206314527130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harju, L. K., & Hakanen, J. J. (2016). An employee who was not there: A study of job boredom in white-collar work. Personnel Review, 45(2), 374–391. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-05-2015-0125.

  • Hayes, A. F. (2009). Beyond baron and Kenny: Statistical mediation analysis in the new millennium. Communication Monographs, 76, 408–420. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637750903310360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hazan-Liran, B., & Miller, P. (2017). Stroop-like effects in a new-code learning task: A cognitive load theory perspective. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 70(9), 1878–1891. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2016.1214845.

  • Henseler, J., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43, 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobfoll, S. E. (2001). The influence of culture, community, and the nested-self in the stress process: Advancing conservation of resources theory. Applied Psychology, 50, 337–421. https://doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00062.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuh, G. D., Cruce, T. M., Shoup, R., Kinzie, J., & Gonyea, R. M. (2008). Unmasking the effects of student engagement on first-year college grades and persistence. The Journal of Higher Education, 79, 540–563. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2008.11772116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laschinger, H. K. S., & Fida, R. (2014). A time-lagged analysis of the effect of authentic leadership on workplace bullying, burnout, and occupational turnover intentions. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 23, 739–753. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2013.804646.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laschinger, H. K. S., & Grau, A. L. (2012). The influence of personal dispositional factors and organizational resources on workplace violence, burnout, and health outcomes in new graduate nurses: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 49, 282–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, N., & Cadogan, J. W. (2013). Problems with formative and higher-order reflective variables. Journal of Business Research, 66, 242–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2012.08.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lupșa, D., & Vîrgă, D. (2018). Psychological capital questionnaire (PCQ): Analysis of the Romanian adaptation and validation. Psihologia Resurselor Umane [Psychology of Human Resources], 16, 27–39. https://doi.org/10.24837/pru.2018.1.484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lupșa, D., & Vîrgă, D. (2020). Psychological capital, health, and performance: The mediating role of burnout. Psihologia Resurselor Umane, 18, 7–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lupșa, D., Vîrga, D., Maricuțoiu, L. P., & Rusu, A. (2020). Increasing psychological capital: A pre‐registered meta‐analysis of controlled interventions. Applied Psychology, 69, 1506–1556. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12219.

  • Luthans, F., & Youssef, C. M. (2004). Human, social, and now positive psychological capital management: Investing in people for competitive advantage. Organizational Dynamics, 33, 143–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luthans, F., & Youssef-Morgan, C. M. (2017). Psychological capital: An evidence-based positive approach. American Psychologist, 4, 339–366. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luthans, F., Avolio, B. J., Avey, J. B., & Norman, S. M. (2007). Positive psychological capital: Measurement and relationship with performance and satisfaction. Personnel Psychology, 60, 541–572. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2007.00083.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luthans, B. C., Luthans, K. W., & Jensen, S. (2012). The impact of business school students’ psychological capital on academic performance. Journal of Education for Business, 87, 253–259. https://doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2011.609844.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luthans, K, W., Luthans, B, C., & Palmer, N, F. (2016) A positive approach to management education: The relationship between academic PsyCap and student engagement. Journal of Management Development, 35, online first. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-06-2015-0091.

  • Martin, A. J., & Marsh, H. W. (2008). Academic buoyancy: Towards an understanding of students' everyday academic resilience. Journal of School Psychology, 46, 53–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martínez, I. M., Youssef-Morgan, C. M., Chambel, M. J., & Marques-Pinto, A. (2019). Antecedents of academic performance of university students: Academic engagement and psychological capital resources. Educational Psychology, 39, 1047–1067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mikulas, W. L., & Vodanovich, S. J. (1993). The essence of boredom. The Psychological Record, 43, 3–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nath, P., & Pradhan, R. K. (2012). Influence of positive affect on physical health and psychological well-being: Examining the mediating role of psychological resilience. Journal of Health Management, 14, 161–174. https://doi.org/10.1177/097206341201400206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nett, U. E., Goetz, T., & Daniels, L. M. (2010). What to do when feeling bored? Students' strategies for coping with boredom. Learning and Individual Differences, 20, 626–638.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newman, A., Ucbasaran, D., Zhu, F. E. I., & Hirst, G. (2014). Psychological capital: A review and synthesis. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35, 120–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ortega-Maldonado, A., & Salanova, M. (2017). Psychological capital and performance among undergraduate students: The role of meaning-focused coping and satisfaction. Teaching in Higher Education, 23, 390–402. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2017.1391199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ouweneel, E., Le Blanc, P. M., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2011). Flourishing students: A longitudinal study on positive emotions, personal resources, and study engagement. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 6, 142–153. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2011.558847.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paloș, R., Maricuţoiu, L. P., & Costea, I. (2019). Relations between academic performance, student engagement and student burnout: A cross-lagged analysis of a two-wave study. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 60, 199–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2019.01.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paradnikė, K., & Bandzevičienė, R. (2016). Career construction in academic setting: Links between career adaptability and study engagement. International Journal of Psychology: A Biopsychosocial Approach, 18, 71–88. https://doi.org/10.7220/2345-024X.18.4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qingquan, P., & Zongkui, Z. (2009). Relationships among psychological capital, coping style and mental health of impoverished college students. China Journal of Health Psychology, 7, 23–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reijseger, G., Schaufeli, W. B., Peeters, M. C. W., & Taris, T. W. (2012). Ready, set, go! From work engagement to job performance. In S. P. Gonçalves (Ed.), Occupational health psychology: From burnout to well-being. London: Scientific & Academic Publishing Co..

    Google Scholar 

  • Rigg, J., Day, J., & Adler, H. (2013). Emotional exhaustion in graduate students: The role of engagement, self-efficacy and social support. Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology, 3, 138–152. https://doi.org/10.5539/jedp.v3n2p138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ringle, C, M., Sarstedt, M., & Straub, D, W. (2012). Editor’s comments: A critical look at the use of PLS-SEM in “MIS quarterly”. MIS Quarterly, 36, iii–xiv.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ringle, C. M., Wende, S., & Becker, J. M. (2018). SmartPLS 3. 2015. Website: www.smartpls.com.

  • Riolli, L., Savicki, V., & Richards, J. (2012). Psychological capital as a buffer to student stress. Psychology, 3, 1202–1207. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2012.312A178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salanova, M., Llorens, S., Cifre, E., Martínez, I. M., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2003). Perceived collective efficacy, subjective well-being and task performance among electronic work groups: An experimental study. Small Group Research, 34, 43–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salanova, M., Schaufeli, W., Martínez, I., & Bresó, E. (2010). How obstacles and facilitators predict academic performance: The mediating role of study burnout and engagement. Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 23, 53–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/10615800802609965.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salmela-Aro, K., & Upadyaya, K. (2012). The schoolwork engagement inventory: Energy, dedication and absorption (EDA). European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 28, 60–67. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000091.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sava, S. L., Vîrgă, D., & Paloș, R. (2020). The role of teacher support, students’ need satisfaction, and their psychological capital in enhancing students’ self-regulated learning. Studia Psychologica, 62, 44–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W. B., & Bakker, A. B. (2004). Job demands, job resources, and their relationship with burnout and engagement: A multi-sample study. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25, 293–315. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W., & Salanova, M. (2011). Work engagement: On how to better catch a slippery concept. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 20(1), 39–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2010.515981.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W. B., & Salanova, M. (2013). Burnout, boredom and engagement in the workplace. In M. C. W. Peeters, J. de Jonge & T. W. Taris (Eds.), An introduction to contemporary work psychology (pp. 293–320). Hoboken: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W. B., Martinez, I. M., Pinto, A. M., Salanova, M., & Bakker, A. B. (2002a). Burnout and engagement in university students: A cross-national study. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 33, 464–481.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W. B., Salanova, M., González-Romá, V., & Bakker, A. B. (2002b). The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two sample confirmatory factor analytic approach. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3, 71–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W. B., Bakker, A. B., & Salanova, M. (2006). The measurement of work engagement with a short questionnaire: A cross-national study. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 66, 701–716. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013164405282471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaufeli, W. B., Taris, T. W., & Van Rhenen, W. (2008). Workaholism, burnout, and work engagement: Three of a kind or three different kinds of employee well-being? Applied Psychology, 57, 173–203. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2007.00285.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Selvaraj, P. (2015). Using positive psychological capital to predict mental health in college students: Implications for counseling and higher education (Electronic Thesis or Dissertation). Retrieved from https://etd.ohiolink.edu/.

  • Sharp, J.,. G., Sharp, J.,. C., & Young, E. (2018). Academic boredom, engagement and the achievement of undergraduate students at university: A review and synthesis of relevant literature. Research Papers in Education, 1–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/02671522.2018.1536891.

  • Siu, O. L., Bakker, A. B., & Jiang, X. (2014). Psychological capital among university students: Relationships with study engagement and intrinsic motivation. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15, 979–994. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-013-9459-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sulea, C., Van Beek, I., Sarbescu, P., Virga, D., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2015). Engagement, boredom, and burnout among students: Basic need satisfaction matters more than personality traits. Learning and Individual Differences, 42, 132–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.08.018.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Beek, I., Kranenburg, I. C., Taris, T. W., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2013). BIS-and BAS-activation and study outcomes: A mediation study. Personality and Individual Differences, 55, 474–479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.04.013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, M. T., Chow, A., Hofkens, T., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2015). The trajectories of student emotional engagement and school burnout with academic and psychological development: Findings from Finnish adolescents. Learning and Instruction, 36, 57–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2014.11.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weinerman, J., & Kenner, C. (2016). Boredom: That which shall not be named. Journal of Developmental Education, 40, 18–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xanthopoulou, D., Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2009). Reciprocal relationships between job resources, personal resources, and work engagement. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74, 235–244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2008.11.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Youssef, C. M., & Luthans, F. (2007). Positive organizational behavior in the workplace the impact of hope, optimism, and resilience. Journal of Management, 33, 774–800. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206307305562.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zucoloto, M. L., de Oliveira, V., Maroco, J., & Campos, J. A. D. B. (2016). School engagement and burnout in a sample of Brazilian students. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 8, 659–666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. West University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania

    Delia Vîrgă

  2. School of Management Studies, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India

    Murugan Pattusamy

  3. Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC), Hyderabad, India

    Dontha Pradeep Kumar

Authors
  1. Delia Vîrgă
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Murugan Pattusamy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dontha Pradeep Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Murugan Pattusamy.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Vîrgă, D., Pattusamy, M. & Kumar, D.P. How psychological capital is related to academic performance, burnout, and boredom? The mediating role of study engagement. Curr Psychol 41, 6731–6743 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01162-9

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01162-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation